Volvo Says Swedish Government Not Sold on EVs

Volvo C30 EV Concept

Chicago Auto Show Feb 10, 2010; Byron Pope writing for WardsAuto.com
reported that the Swedish government is not as keen on the future of
electric vehicles as other European countries, a stance that has left Volvo
Car Corp. largely on its own in the development of its C30 EV.

“There’s a big push in many European governments for EVs,
but the Swedish government is not really pushing that hard yet, so
we’re pushing them a little bit to wake up,” Henrick Jarcebrat,
product manager for the C30 EV, tells Ward’s at the auto show
here.

Despite its indifference, the government has provided Volvo with about
SK150 million ($20.4 million) for EV development, but most of those funds
are directed toward testing the safety of the technology, Jarcebrat
says.

Since Christmas, Volvo has churned out 11 C30 EV prototypes, two of
which already have undergone crash testing.